Success Story Interview - Olivia Riesling

An Interview with Olivia Riesling (OLRiesling on QT) upon receiving an offer of representation from agent Bonnie Swanson of FinePrint Literary Management.

09/10/2024

QT: Can you tell us a little bit about the book for which you've found representation? What inspired you to write it?

Olivia Riesling:
BONNIE'S SUMMER OF LOVE, SWORDS, AND OTHER LONG, HARD THINGS is the fourth manuscript I've queried. I'd gotten to a point where I just wanted to have fun writing. I'd had a dream where a stuffy, pious knight and a mechanically-inclined time-traveling demon got stuck together in purgatory, and purgatory ended up being an abandoned Route 66 town. It was exactly the kind of ridiculousness I needed.

QT: How long have you been writing?

Olivia Riesling:
I've been writing for fun since the late 90s, but I started writing for publication in 2022.

QT: How long have you been working on this book?

Olivia Riesling:
I started outlining BONNIE'S SUMMER as serialized erotica in August, 2022. In September 2023, I made the switch to novelization, and I had the first draft finished by the end of the year.

QT: Was there ever a time you felt like giving up, and what helped you to stay on course?

Olivia Riesling:
I did give up. I stopped actively querying this book in early May. The only reason it ended up in my agent's inbox is because of a silly joke I made during QueerPit on Twitter.

QT: Is this your first book?

Olivia Riesling:
This is my fourth and I'd already completed and started querying my fifth.

QT: Do you have any formal writing training?

Olivia Riesling:
I started college as an English major and completed my thesis on The Hero's Journey.

QT: Do you follow a writing routine or schedule?

Olivia Riesling:
Not at all.

QT: How many times did you re-write/edit your book?

Olivia Riesling:
I believe this one is on the 7th draft

QT: Did you have beta readers for your book?

Olivia Riesling:
Absolutely, always, but this was the first time I had an alpha reader. Having someone provide feedback after every chapter before writing the next really helped keep the plot and pacing on course.

QT: Did you outline your book, or do you write from the hip?

Olivia Riesling:
I build flexible outlines with what beats I want to hit after x number of words.

QT: How long have you been querying for this book? Other books?

Olivia Riesling:
I spent three months actively querying this book. I started querying my first book a year and a half ago.

QT: About how many query letters did you send out for this book?

Olivia Riesling:
95

QT: On what criteria did you select the agents you queried?

Olivia Riesling:
I looked for romantasy & portal fantasy lovers. If they had "Outlander" in their wishlist, they got my query.

QT: Did you tailor each query to the specific agent, and if so, how?

Olivia Riesling:
I left a space that said "due to your interest in [the things that you like]" and kept a spreadsheet of what those interests were for each agent on my list.

QT: What advice would you give other writers seeking agents?

Olivia Riesling:
Match the vibe of your query letter with the vibe of your book. I wasted so much time sending uptight, professional letters when my book is silly and fun. The agents who were hooked by the "serious epic fantasy" letter were put off by the pages.

QT: Would you be willing to share your query with us?

Olivia Riesling:
Have at it, but keep in mind that social media behaviors made a large contribution to my success.

Query Letter:

Dear [beautiful amazing agent]:

Due to your interest in [the things that you like], I'm excited to submit BONNIE'S SUMMER OF LOVE, SWORDS, AND OTHER LONG, HARD THINGS, an adult romantasy novel about a groovy demigod falling in love with a medieval knight and uncovering a divine coup. This standalone with duology potential is complete at 98,000 words. Readers who enjoy the playfulness of the Mead Mishaps series by Kimberly Lemming in a cross-cultural time jump similar to Outlander by Diana Gabaldon will enjoy this dual POV story. If I'm honest, it reads like a medieval hippie retelling of The Little Mermaid. This manuscript has received full requests from other agencies.

A demigod raised in a hell dimension, Bonnie wants to be where the people are: 1969, the Summer of Love. When she's offered the chance to attend Woodstock, she takes it, no matter how illegal the means are. In her haste, she fails to correct some bad penmanship and ends up in Woadstock, 1464. Instead of peace and music, she's met with pitchforks and torches. Luckily her centuries of yearning for the moral world have prepared her for this and Bonnie knows of a magic well that could correct the mishap, but the journey is too perilous to make alone.

To punish her for her crime of illegally traveling to the mortal realm, immortal authorities chase Bonnie across the highlands–straight into the arms of Gil, a hard-of-hearing knight with a reputation for slaying monsters. He is exactly the escort Bonnie needs to thwart her pursuers, so long as she can convince him she's as human as he is. Despite every effort to keep a safe distance, Bonnie can't stop herself from falling for her patient and selfless chaperone.

When her mother's rival, the god of Ambition, attempts to spirit Gil away, he forces Bonnie to make a deal to save Gil's life. Ambition gives her three days to reveal her origins to her monster-slaying accomplice. If Gil chooses to stay by her side, her criminal charges will be dropped. But if he rejects her for the monster she is, she'll face a millennium of imprisonment. Despite her deceit, Bonnie is determined to prove the connection they share is genuine. The jail cell is bad enough without a broken heart.

As a Scholastic Silver Key recipient and Arizona State University alumnus, I've been writing fiction–particularly fantasy–for over a decade. A good deal of my writing comes from my own experiences as a neurodivergent, hard-of-hearing woman. I specialize in writing defined, lovable, and sometimes infuriating characters with strong voices who learn to be okay with disappointing others.

Thank you for your consideration